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First lady’s style draws spotlight

Her outfits provide boost for retail chains, designers

View SlideshowRequest to buy this photoGerald Herbert | Associated PressFirst lady Michelle Obama wears a short blue cardigan designed by Reed Krakoff in the presidential box during the inaugural parade. Krakoff also designed the boots worn by Mrs. Obama during the parade.

Your Right to Know

WASHINGTON — For those interested in fashion, it was one of the biggest questions of yesterday’s
inaugural ceremonies: not what would President Barack Obama say, but what would his wife, Michelle
Obama, wear?

The first lady wore a navy coat and dress by designer Thom Browne, inspired by the fabric of a
man’s silk tie.

The belt and gloves were from J.Crew, a mid-priced chain that is a fixture in U.S. shopping
malls; the necklace and earrings were designed by Cathy Waterman. The boots were by Reed Krakoff,
as was the short blue cardigan she wore to the celebratory lunch in the Capitol hosted by
congressional leaders.

“At the end of the inaugural festivities, the outfit and accompanying accessories will go to the
National Archives,” the first lady’s office said.Mrs. Obama wore a custom-made Jason Wu gown to the
inauguration balls. The ruby-colored, velvet and chiffon evening dress was her final outfit of the
day.Her choice of a white chiffon gown for the inaugural balls in 2009 helped bring attention to
young designer Wu.Dressing any first lady, especially Obama, a Harvard-trained lawyer known for her
style, can be a huge boost for a fashion designer or retail chain.

Browne boasts a string of design awards, most recently a prestigious National Design Award for
fashion from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, which is part of the Smithsonian
Institution.

“She likes well-tailored clothes, so the inspiration was doing something that looked tailored
and structured and fitted through the body and somewhat A-line for the skirt and the dress,” Browne
told the
Los Angeles Times, adding that he picked blue because he had guessed that President Obama
would wear that color.

Praised for wearing high-end designers as well as pieces from mass-market stores, the first lady
has established herself as an international style trend-setter during Mr. Obama’s first four years
in the White House.

Dresses, sweaters, shoes and belts she has worn have sold out at retailers from designer
showrooms to mass-market chains, including Gap Inc., J. Crew and Target Corp.

Style mavens credit the 49-year-old first lady with changing the way American women put together
their outfits, and, by patronizing U.S. designers, bolstering a multibillion-dollar industry.

Famed for her toned arms, Obama set a trend for sleeveless tops. Her cardigans and belted
dresses have prompted many working women to switch from blazers and suits in the workplace.

“
Icon’s a big word and it sometimes gets overused, but I think if we’re going to use it, we
can use it now,” said Steven Kolb, chief executive of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. “
What makes her a real icon is the work that she does and the woman that she is.”

“Michelle looks good however, wherever, whatever she does. Michelle looks good in her sleeping
gown,” said Sharon Johnson, a therapist who came from Baltimore to watch the inauguration and joked
that she is still looking for the green leather gloves Obama wore on Inauguration Day in 2009.

“Her beauty is so far inside and shines so far outside,” Johnson said.

When Mrs. Obama held the Bible for her husband during his official swearing-in on Sunday, she
wore a dark blue dress by Krakoff, the creative director for the Coach leather-goods company, who
has become a fashion designer.

On Sunday night, she wore a sleeveless black sequined dress by Michael Kors to an inaugural
reception for supporters.

At that reception, President Obama weighed in on what he termed the most significant event of
the inaugural weekend, his wife’s hotly discussed new hairstyle.

Interest in Mrs. Obama’s clothing has extended to the outfits worn by her two daughters.
Yesterday, the White House said Malia, 14, was wearing a J.Crew ensemble and Sasha, 11, wore a Kate
Spade coat and dress.

The first lady is a far bigger influence on U.S. fashion than most of her predecessors. Laura
Bush favored suits by Oscar de la Renta, and Hillary Clinton is best-known for wearing a range of
brightly colored pantsuits. Even stylish Jackie Kennedy wore mostly European designers.

Obama’s fashion choices have not always been applauded. Some Americans were angry when she wore
a red gown from a British label — Alexander McQueen — to a 2011 state dinner for China’s
president.

Kolb dismissed such concerns, noting that fashion is a global business and that U.S. designers
are thrilled when, for example, Kate Middleton, the wife of Britain’s Prince of Wales, wears their
clothing.

“At the end of the day, we get up in the morning and we look in our closet and we have to feel
good about what we put on,” Kolb said.